Cricketers bowl the rest over

Longridge CC was the venue as the Ribble Valley District Cricket Development Group (CDG) held their third awards evening late last month.

More than 100 young cricketers and their families celebrated the season’s successes with the Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayoress of the Ribble Valley, Cllr Stuart Carefoot and Cllr Sarah Rainford, as well as Lancashire Women’s first team member Shachi Pai.

Ten of the 15 Lancashire County players.

Among this year’s highlights included 15 Ribble Valley cricketers playing for Lancashire’s representative teams.

The Ribble Valley ladies team – the Vipers – just missed out on winning the Lancashire Thunder League due to two rained off matches.

Player of the year awards went to Clitheroe’s Adam Hewitt at Under-11 level and Longridge’s Lewis Garstang in the Under-13s’ section, while Libby Heap was named as the Vipers’ players’ player of the year.

Oakhill School won the Ribble Valley Cricket Primary School of the Year Award for their Kwik Cricket performances across the season.

There were also awards presented for batting, bowling, fielding and special performances.

Carefoot said: “The Borough Council is pleased to see so many Ribble Valley youngsters leaving their phones, tablets and laptops behind for a while and getting themselves involved in healthy outdoor activities such as cricket.”